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Defence Committee to take evidence from US experts on the geopolitics of 5G

1 June 2020

On Tuesday 2 June at 2.30pm, the Defence Committee will hear from Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton. Following this, the Committee will hear from the former Chair of the US House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, Mike Rogers, and from Brigadier General (ret.) Robert Spalding, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former President Trump advisor, in an evidence session on the geopolitics of 5G.

Please note there is no access to Parliament.

International response

This session- related to the Committee's inquiry into the security of 5G- will consider the international response to the UK Government's decision to allow Huawei to continue to operate in its 5G work and assess approaches to 5G and cybersecurity from across the Five Eyes alliance. The session will examine the implications of the Government's decision for information sharing across the alliance and discuss prospects for a Western vendor of 5G.

5G and China's international ambitions

Additionally, the session will take a broader look at China's international ambitions and the role of 5G and technology within this, specifically focusing on cyber-attacks and the ‘Digital Silk Road'.

The session will hear from witness US Senator Tom Cotton, who has been a vocal critic of the UK Government's decision to allow Huawei to continue to operate its 5G network and has been influential in forming the US 5G position.

The Committee will then hear from Brigadier General (ret.) Robert Spalding, a fellow at the Hudson Institute whose work focuses on US-China relations, and former Senior Director for Strategy to the President. The session will also hear from Mike Rogers, Chairman of 5G Action Now and a former Chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the House of Representatives. Mike Rogers authored an influential 2012 report on Huawei and ZTE and the threats they pose to US national security.

Witnesses

Tuesday 2 June 2020, Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

At 2.30pm:

  • Senator Tom Cotton, US Senate

At 3.30pm:

  • Brigadier General (ret.) Robert Spalding, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
  • Mike Rogers, Chairman, 5G Action Now

Further information

Image: MoD